A light emitting device including a light emitting diode having a semiconductor body that generates electromagnetic radiation; a converter element downstream of the first light emitting diode which converts at least part of the electromagnetic radiation into first color light; a second light emitting diode having a semiconductor body that generates light of the first color; a radiation exit area from which the first color light emerges; and a drive circuit operating the second light emitting diode, wherein the converter element contains at least one luminescence conversion material that emits the first color light, as the operating duration of the first light emitting diode increases, intensity of the first color light emitted by the converter element decreases, the drive circuit controls the second light emitting diode dependent on at least one of measurement values: intensity of the first color light emitted by the converter element, temperature of the converter element, operating duration of the first light emitting diode, and color locus of the light emerging from the radiation exit area.